location: Maysville, Kentucky established: 2007 size: 2,400 square feet
On a Friday night in Maysville, Kentucky (65 miles northeast of Lexington), long after other downtown shops have closed, the lights are still on in Apron Strings Quilt Shop. A peek through the transom-framed doorway reveals quiltmakers laughing, telling stories, and sharing colorful fabric strips. they are piecing Rail Fence blocks, and shop owner Mary Honaker is in the midst of it all. “I get really close to my customers,” she says. “they’re like one big family. I have to see what they’re doing.”
Apron Strings, located in a historic river town, is welcoming ground for fellowship. the shop’s exquisite millwork and pitched, creaky floors co-exist with aqua walls and conversation-piece quilts. As for fabrics, polka dots, plaids, geometrics, florals, and…
